English Premier League

City win pitch battle as Mahrez sinks Spurs

LONDON, Oct 30: Pep Guardiola claimed Manchester
City's 1-0 win over Tottenham was extra special
because of the problems posed by Wembley's damaged
pitch. Playing on the scarred Wembley turf just 24
hours after it was torn up by an NFL fixture, City's
peerless quality and a predatory finish from Riyad
Mahrez helped them win the pitch battle, reports AFP.
A sixth victory from their last seven league games
lifted Guardiola's unbeaten side back above Liverpool
on goal difference.
And the City manager admitted he was relieved to see
his players cope with the treacherous conditions.
"It was a great victory in special conditions,
against one of the most physical teams in Europe," he
said.
"It was not football conditions to play. We reacted
well. For our players and the players of Tottenham,
hopefully they will sort the problem for the future.
"It's a question for the Premier League and
Tottenham. We were invited to come here today for the
fixture hopefully they can solve that problem."
Guardiola hailed City's Champions League win over
Shakhtar Donetsk last week as the finest display of
his reign in Manchester.
This was a far more prosaic performance as City's
defenders took centre stage, equalling the club
record of six consecutive league clean-sheets.
Guardiola was frustrated that City wasted several
chances to kill off Tottenham and warned them they
must improve if they want to retain the title and win
the Champions League.
"We had many chances. We needed to score and we
didn't. We have a lot of things to improve," he said.
"Of course we are very good side, I'm not saying the
opposite, but if you are going to play in the later
stages of big competitions we need things we don't
have at the moment.
"We will talk and work and hopefully we can improve."
It was a dispiriting evening for fifth placed
Tottenham, who now trail City by five points after
their first league defeat in five games.
Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld blamed the
pitch, saying: "I have to be honest, the pitch wasn't
good.
"Both teams like to play out from the back and to
play football in these circumstances, it was very
difficult."
But his manager Mauricio Pochettino was more
frustrated by the woeful defending that led to City's
goal.
"The circumstances of the pitch were the same for
both sides. It was the kind of cheap goal you cannot
concede in this type of game. Football will punish
you," Pochettino said.
"I'm proud of the effort, we created a lot of
chances. Last season it was difficult to compete
against Manchester City, but today the level was
closer."
Pochettino's cause wasn't helped by the presence of
the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Philadelphia Eagles
at Tottenham's temporary home a day earlier.
There were large areas of worn brown turf down the
middle and both flanks, while the NFL logo in the
centre circle and yard-line markers the length of the
pitch were all still visible.
But City were unfazed as they raced into the lead
after just six minutes.
Tottenham defender Kieran Trippier misjudged a long
kick from City goalkeeper Ederson, his errant header
allowing Raheem Sterling to steal possession and cut
past him into the penalty area.
Sterling showed tremendous composure as he picked out
Mahrez's run and the Algerian finished the raid with
a clinical close-range finish.
It was an emotional moment for former Leicester star
Mahrez just 48 hours after the death of Foxes owner
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash
outside the club's King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Mahrez pointed his fingers to the sky in what
appeared to be a tribute to Vichai.
City seemed less troubled by the surface and they
scythed through the Tottenham defence with a flowing
move that ended with Hugo Lloris pushing Mahrez's
drive onto a post.
Sent clean through on goal by Erik Lamela's pass,
Harry Kane had a golden chance to equalise but his
poor first touch, which couldn't be blamed on the
turf, allowed Ederson to block with his legs.